RED SOX NOTES: Francona to undergo back surgery

The back surgery is the latest in a series of ailments Francona’s had since becoming manager of the Red Sox before the 2004 season. He said he’s thought about his future with the team because of his medical problems but isn’t ready to step away from the club yet.

The offseason isn’t just a time for players to recover from the aches and pains from a long season; it’s a time for the manager to get himself right, too.

On Tuesday, Red Sox manager Terry Francona revealed he’s going to undergo back surgery to alleviate a problem he’s had for most of the season.

“I need it so I can stand a little straighter,” he said. “I’ve had this since May. I’ll go the next couple of days to get it figured out and then we’ll get it done so I can feel a little bit better.”

Francona said he didn’t know the nature of his back problems, but he has seen a doctor and he’s known for a while that he would need surgery.

“I’ve known I’ve needed it since May,” said Francona. “I haven’t been able to feel either arm for four or five months. I need it.”

The back surgery is the latest in a series of ailments Francona’s had since becoming manager of the Sox before the 2004 season. He said he’s thought about his future with the team because of his medical problems but isn’t ready to step away from the club yet.

“If there comes a time where I don’t feel like I can do my job appropriately, I won’t do it,” he said. “Sometimes this job almost sucks the life out of you. You need to be careful the day after the season’s over, especially when you’ve been sick and you don’t feel good.”

Francona added he’s suffering from the flu as well.

“You’re at the bottom of the energy, and I try real hard every winter to make sure when I come to spring training I can do my job because I owe that to the players and the organization because it does take it out of you, this place more than any other place I’ve seen,” he said. “I do have some health issues, there’s no getting around it. So I need to get checked and get some of that fixed.”

Daisuke in Game 7:

There was a very real possibility that if the Red Sox had the lead late in Game 7 against the Rays, Daisuke Matsuzaka would have been used as the closer.

“Papelbon was tired,” acknowleded Francona. “I think that two-inning stint (in Game 5) took a lot more out of him than people realize. Going out for that second inning was tough.”

Francona said he didn’t know if he would turn to Papelbon in the clinching game, but he did tell Matsuzaka to be ready.

“He was notified,” said Francona. “That’s where there’s some gray area. You have to be ready for anything that can come at you, especially in Game 7. That’s what we were trying to do.”

Page 2 of 2 - Asked specifically if Papelbon would have closed, Francona said, “I don’t know. I really don’t know. I would never put somebody in a position that is unfair, even in a game like that. I can guarantee that. We ask a lot of our guys, and we’ve seen some pretty miraculous feats, but we’d never put somebody in a position where they’re going to get hurt.”

Struggling with Tek:

Francona said that he decided early on that he was going to stick with catcher Jason Varitek no matter how much he struggled at the plate.

“I fought it during the season because of who he is and what he means to the team,” said Francona. “Hitting for him, I ultimately decided that I would not hit for him because I didn’t think it was in our best interest to win a World Series. I think we could have won a game or two, potentially, during the season but I did not think that situated us to move forward.”

Varitek hit .220 this past season, his lowest average ever with the Red Sox.

“I thought for us to get where we wanted to go, if we started hitting for him early in the season, that wasn’t necessarily going to help us,” Francona said. “Maybe we win a game in June, maybe (Sean) Casey comes in a wins a game in June. I acknowledge that, but I don’t know that we could win more games going that route.

“I don’t think that would have helped us. You get your starting catcher, your captain, looking over his shoulder in June when he goes to hit in the seventh inning and I don’t think you win as many games as you think.”

Japan hurt:

Francona wouldn’t use it as an excuse, but he admitted the early-season trip to Japan hurt his team.

“It was a disadvantage in the true form of competitiveness, sure,” said Francona. “Anytime you go 6,000 miles to play two games, that’s a tough trip. As far as helping us win games, no it was no help. I thought it showed up in Toronto.”

The Sox were swept three games by the Blue Jays at the end of the trip.

Tough time with Manny:

Given the chance, Francona wouldn’t bash Manny Ramirez but he admitted this year’s episode with him was a rugged one.

“It was tough at times,” he said. “When a guy leaves, for me to start saying things I didn’t say when they were here, I think is wrong. There werer portions of this year that were very difficult for me. I think that’s a fair assessment.”